nautical themed wedding

Get ready to be swept off your feet with today’s wedding feature. Mayra & Rodrigo’s day was definitely a fairytale! They have been together since the start of the millenium, Mayra was 14 while Rodrigo was 15 then. And they have been inseparable. They have grown together — learned from each other, shared their differences & their love grew as each year passed by. Rodrigo is actually Mayra’s first & last love. Now isn’t that romantic? I love how their wedding was so casually chic that everything looked simple yet elegant. Mayra claims that Pinterest & Etsy was a huge help in planning this fairytale come true. They kept the venue within its natural appearance without overdecorating & just adding some minor details such as the fresh garden flowers. They went all white with the linens & a few coral & silver accents together with the variety of colors from the garden flowers. Thank you again Wendell Fernandes, a Boston Wedding Photographer for such beautiful photos from this lovely couple! Congratulations again Mayra & Rodrigo — may you live happily forever after!

What is your story as a couple, how did you meet & fall in love?

Rodrigo and I met in 2000 when I was 14 and he was 15. We met through a mutual friend at a birthday party, started dating about a month after and we have been together ever since! He was/is my first and only love and we have basically grown together from our teenage years to adulthood.

What makes the two of you a perfect match?

You can call me crazy, but I say it’s the fact that our personalities are so different. It makes us so much more compatible; it allows us to learn from each other and help each other constantly. In all the areas that I am lacking he completes me, and vice versa 🙂

What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding?

To have fun planning the wedding and not to stress out. Also, to stay together and enjoy every minute of our reception. And that includes sitting down, taking a deep breath and looking around every once in a while and just enjoying the party and how everything came together.

What inspired your wedding decor? Why did you choose the things that you did?

Our shared love for the ocean and our similar taste for simplicity and elegance. Pinterest and Etsy were my best friends throughout the planning process to find inspiration. I also found the knot.com to be very helpful with my research of centerpieces and other ideas.

Do you have advice for couples still in the planning process?

Yes! Remember, this is your wedding and you will remember it for the rest of your lives. Don’t try to please everyone, make it unique, don’t be afraid to break tradition and do what makes you happy!

What were some challenges you faced planning your wedding & what would you have done differently to avoid them?

We were supposed to get married last summer but couldn’t find exactly what we had in mind in terms of the place so we decided to wait longer until we found the right spot. It was a challenge, but we wouldn’t settle for anything less than what we both wanted. The fact that we had a back yard type of wedding also meant there were no packaged deals, so I had to do a lot of the planning myself. The good thing about that of course is that my wedding was anything but “cookie cutter”. I got to put all the best vendors I found together with no restrictions whatsoever.

Where did you save the most money?

I would say the bar. Because we had a back yard type of wedding we were able to purchase and bring our own liquor and that saved us a good amount of money.

What was your favorite part of the day?

Walking down that isle and seeing everyone’s reaction, seeing all the smiles and all the tears at the same time, and seeing my husband waiting for me at the altar. I felt like I was in a fairy tale!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

We were so close to home yet it felt like we were so far away. We stayed right at the home where we got married in Saunderstown, RI. There was plenty to do in the area (being so close to Newport) and the weather was just great.

What are you most excited about for the future?

Starting a family, traveling, improving ourselves and growing “young” together.

How many guests were invited in your wedding and what was the final guest count? Was it difficult to narrow down your guest list?

123 were invited and 93 was the final count. It was harder than we imagined.. But we already went into it with a limited number in mind. Our goal was 75 people so I guess 93 total is not too bad.

What songs did you use during the ceremony?

We love music and we put a lot of thought into the songs, so it was a good mix.. The groom walked into “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain and I walked into “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri; I tear up every time I hear it. We did a Sand Ceremony instead of the Unity candle, for which we used one of our favorite songs: “Better Together” by Jack Johnson. My little cousin also did a surprise entrance after our exchange of rings, that included a beautiful butterfly release and we used a piano/cello cover of “Over the Rainbow” for that which went along with the beachy, relaxed feel. We walked out to “The Sound of Sunshine” by Michael Franti and Spearhead and we had a blast with it.

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

Although it was a beach/ocean wedding, the whole decoration was “garden flowers” theme. I didn’t want to go over the top with any beach decor, since the place was already so beautiful on its own. I stayed away from theme colors also. All linens were white and there were small touches of coral and silver along with a mix of colors for the garden flowers.

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

The idea was: casual-chic. We told our guests there was no requirement for long dresses or ties, but emphasized elegance and comfort. The outfits for groomsmen and bridesmaids went along with that theme. I was looking for a simple beachy dress. I fell in love with my Lazaro gown and thought all the beading went well with the ocean/beach setting. Rodrigo put a lot of thought into his outfit. It took some time to find his Hugo Boss suit, and we had to make sure it was just the right level of elegance since he chose not to wear a tie.

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

Yes, the little fans we placed on the chairs during the ceremony I ordered from Etsy but assembled myself with the help of my family. They also served as the wedding program. I got a fun menu printed for the open bar and printed out straw flags with cute little messages on them. These were all last minute little projects I did to spruce things up. Overall the whole wedding was very hands on for us. We picked all the little details from chairs, to food, to specialty drinks and we even put the ceremony script together ourselves.

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

There are so many for me! I would definitely say the butterfly release was a big highlight.. When the ceremony was over Rodrigo picked me up and put me inside the convertible so we can drive away and take some pictures during cocktail hour. We also did a surprise dance after our first dance together which put all the guests in “party” mode!

What would you say, the overall story for this album?

What a dream come true this was! We had been waiting for this day for so long and these pictures capture how thrilled we were to finally tie the knot. There’s just so much emotion portrayed here.

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Photographer:  Wendell Fernandes Photography